You may not know it, but tech companies are constantly working behind the scenes to detect and patch security vulnerabilities that affect everything from your devices to the browsers you use.

Apple is a prime example of how tech companies respond to these flaws that, if left unchecked, could lead to malicious actors commandeering your devices or stealing valuable information. Apple recently released its latest security patches, which marked the eighth time the tech company addressed a vulnerability in 2022.

In this installment of the BlackCloak Thursday Threat Update, we’ll cover another tech company that recently released a security patch that you should download as soon as possible, as well as a healthcare data breach that may affect millions of people.

Google releases security patch for Chrome browser

What we know: Google has released a security patch for its Chrome browser after it discovered a vulnerability had been actively exploited. It is the seventh such flaw Google has fixed in 2022. Google rated the flaw as one that is of high severity, and will not divulge details about the specifics of the vulnerability until the majority of Chrome users have downloaded the patch.

Recommendations: If you are a Chrome user, download the new version of the browser as soon as possible. While the nature of the vulnerability has not been specified, now is a good time to remember to never store any information on your browser, including passwords, payment card numbers and email addresses. Should a malicious actor take advantage of one of these flaws and access your browser, your sensitive data could be at risk.

Advocate Aurora Health breach exposes data of 3M patients

What we know:  Illinois-based Advocate Aurora Health disclosed that it experienced a data breach that could affect three million patients. Advocate said in a statement on the breach that the information was exposed through its use of internet tracking technologies. The exposed information includes patients’ names, medical information, and their IP addresses. Advocate added that Social Security numbers and financial information were not included in the breach.

Recommendations: Even though the risk of identity theft may be low, Advocate is still advising patients to review their accounts for any suspicious activity, to obtain their free annual copies of their credit reports, and to put a credit freeze or fraud alert on their accounts for additional protection. The healthcare organization also said patients may want to adjust the privacy settings for their social media accounts and browsers, as well as use browsers that support “privacy-protecting operations, such as incognito mode.”

Take steps now to protect yourself when trouble comes

Despite the best efforts of you and the organizations that house your sensitive information, you may still find yourself on the wrong side of a data breach. However, if you take a few steps today, you’ll reduce your risk radius should a data breach notification letter make its way into your inbox.

Learn about three best practices to prevent yourself from becoming a victim of identity fraud, and why you should start creating better passwords to protect your accounts.